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Shanghai is administratively equal to a province and is divided into 19 county-level divisions: '18 districts and 1 county.' There is no single downtown district in Shanghai; the urban core is scattered across several districts. Prominent central business areas include Lujiazui on the East bank, and The Bund and Hongqiao areas in the West Bank. The city hall and major administration units are located in Huangpu District, which also serve as a commercial area, including the famous Nanjing Road. Other major commercial areas include the classy Xintiandi and Huaihai Road in Luwan district and Xujiahui in Xuhui District. Many universities in Shanghai are located in residential areas of Yangpu District and Putuo District.
Nine of the districts govern Puxi (literally West Bank), or the older part of urban Shanghai on the west bank of the Huangpu River. These nine districts are collectively referred to as Shanghai Proper (上海市区) or the city centre (市中心):

District	Population (2000 census)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
Huangpu District (黄浦区; Huángpǔ Qū)	574,500	12.41	46,293
Luwan District (卢湾区 Lúwān Qū)	328,900	8.02	41,010
Xuhui District (徐汇区 Xúhuì Qū)	1,064,600	54.76	19,441
Changning District (长宁区 Chángníng Qū)	702,200	38.30	18,334
Jing'an District (静安区 Jìng'ān Qū)	305,400	7.62	40,079
Putuo District (普陀区 Pǔtuó Qū)	1,051,700	54.83	19,181
Zhabei District (闸北区 Zháběi Qū)	798,600	29.26	27,293
Hongkou District (虹口区 Hóngkǒu Qū)	860,700	23.48	36,657
Yangpu District (杨浦区 Yángpǔ Qū)	1,243,800	60.73	20,481
'Shanghai proper'	'6,930,400'	'281.54'	'24,616'

The following districts govern the near suburbs:

District	Population (2000 census)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
Pudong New District (浦东新区 Pǔdōng Xīn Qū) Chuansha County until 1992	2,402,300	522.75	4,596
Baoshan District (宝山区 Bǎoshān Qū) Baoshan County until 1988	1,228,000	415.27	2,957
Minhang District (闵行区 Mǐnháng Qū) Shanghai County until 1992	1,217,300	371.68	3,275
Jiading District (嘉定区 Jiādìng Qū) Jiading County until 1992	753,100	458.80	1,641
'Inner suburbs'	'5,600,700'	'1,768.50'	'3,167'

Five of the districts govern satellite towns farther away from the urban core:

District	Population (2000 census)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
Jinshan District (金山区 Jīnshān Qū) Jinshan County until 1997	580,400	586.05	990
Songjiang District (松江区 Sōngjiāng Qū) Songjiang County until 1998	641,100	604.71	1,060
Qingpu District (青浦区 Qīngpǔ Qū) Qingpu County until 1999	595,900	675.54	882
Nanhui District (南汇区 Nánhuì Qū) Nanhui County until 2001	785,100	687.66	1,142
Fengxian District (奉贤区 Fèngxián Qū) Fengxian County until 2001	624,300	687.39	908
'Outer suburbs'	'3,226,800'	'3,241.35'	'996'

Chongming Island, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze, is governed by:

★ Chongming County (崇明县 Chóngmíng Xiàn)

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★ Population (as of 2000): 649,800

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★ Area: 1,041.21 km²

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★ Density: 624 per km²
As of 2003, these county-level divisions are further divided into the following 220 township-level divisions: 114 towns, 3 townships, 103 subdistricts. Those are in turn divided into the following village-level divisions: 3,393 neighborhood committees and 2,037 village committees.
List of towns:

★ Anting, Jiading District

★ Huamu, Pudong New District

★ Pengpu, Zhabei District

★ Beicai, Pudong New District

★ Qibao, Minhang District

★ Sheshan, Songjiang District

★ Sijing, Songjiang District

★ Nanqiao, Fengxian District

★ Xinzhuang, Minhang District

★ Jiangwan, Yangpu District

Contents

Islands

Islands

Chongming Island, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze,and also ChangxingIsland, Hengsha Island,Yuansha Island.
In south there is Jingshanzui Island, Big Jingshan Island. At 35km east of Chongming Island, locates Sheshan Island.